Paragraph Unity and Coherence

When writing a paragraph, say exactly what you intend to say and no more. Every line should reflect the topic or expand on the major points that develop the topic. When you achieve this, you have a unified Paragraph.

In addition to subordinating ideas of unequal importance and coordinating ideas of equal importance, good writers use other signals to connect their ideas, making them flow smoothly and logically. These signals include the following:

  • Repetition of key words or phrases
  • Synonyms
  • Pronouns (personal and demonstrative)
  • Transitions (connecting words)

Check out this SIGNALS link for more information on how to achieve coherence in your writing. You may also want to review the two links on transitions at the bottom of this page to familiarize yourself with commonly used connecting words. Frequently used conjunctive adverbs, commonly called transitions, are demonstrated in the table below. Pay close attention to the comma following the transition.

Transition
Meaning/Function
Example
  • In addition,
  • Besides,
  • Moreover,
 To add another point or idea The theme of birth and childhood is common in folktales. In addition, challenge and adventure are common themes.
  • For example,
  • For instance,
 To give an example We can learn about cultural traditions by reading folktales. For example, in "Why the Baby Says Goo" we can learn about an Indian chief's traditional dress and customs.
  • However,
  • Nevertheless,
 To show contrast The Indian chief bragged that he could conquer anyone. However, he couldn't force a small baby to obey him.
  • As a result
  • Consequently
 To show result The Indian chief was a fierce warrior. Consequently, all of his enemies feared him.

Transitions 1Transitions 2Print Version Return